


When Life Gives You Lemons

by sarcasmandcynicism



Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Family, Friendship, Healing, Hurt/Comfort, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Sole Survivor who has no idea what she's doing, Strong Female Characters, poor child
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-20
Updated: 2016-02-08
Packaged: 2018-05-15 03:39:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,773
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5769832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sarcasmandcynicism/pseuds/sarcasmandcynicism
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. That's the saying, right? Except nobody here even remembers what a lemon is. Quinn thinks maybe it would be more satisfying to squeeze the lemons into Life's eyes, because she's pretty sure she never did anything to deserve this.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Beginning of the End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those of you that read Traveler, you're probably wondering what the heck I'm doing, writing another fic when I need to update that one. Yeah… sorry. I'm in a bit of a rut for Traveler and I decided to get the creative juices flowing by writing something else that's been rattling around in my head. I promise, I'm not abandoning my other story!
> 
> That said, enjoy!

_Where are those darn bobby pins?_

Quinn rifles through the medicine cabinet, then her makeup box, growing more frustrated by the second. Too little sleep has her fraying at the edges. The fact that a bobby pin could be the metaphorical straw that broke the camel's back just makes it worse. Quinn feels her eyes prickle, warning of oncoming tears, and swallows hard.

"No. No crying." _They've got to be here somewhere…_

"What, hon?" Nate asks from the other room.

"Nothing!" Quinn calls back distractedly.

Finally, after another few minutes of searching, she finds the little buggers and gives a small whoop of victory. Nate doesn't say anything to that; he's used to her oddness. Quinn brings them over to the mirror and starts pinning her ginger hair back into a simple bun.

_No fancy hairdos for this lady._

Not when there's a certain baby around that likes to grab at the tresses. Quinn smiles softly at the thought of her child and puts the pins away in a place she hopes she'll remember next time.

Nate is sitting at the table when she walks into the kitchen. He's sipping coffee and reading the paper and Quinn takes a moment to just soak in the domesticity of it.

Nate glances up and smirks. "And just what are you looking at?" he teases.

"Just the most handsome man I've ever seen," Quinn answers, cocking her hip playfully. "Tell me, are you seeing anyone?"

Nate grins. "Sorry, doll. I've already got a beautiful, loving wife."

Quinn just laughs lightly and moves further into the room.

"Good morning, mum!" the floating robot in the kitchen greets her cheerfully.

"Good morning to you, too, Codsworth," Quinn says through a yawn.

Codsworth floats closer. "Ah! I see you are in need of a bit of a pick-me-up." He pours her a cup of coffee. "There you are, mum. Freshly brewed and piping hot! It might be wise to blow on it before you take a sip."

"Thank you," Quinn says and takes a greedy gulp of coffee… and immediately regrets it. "Ow!"

"I did warn you, mum!" Codsworth chimes in unhelpfully.

"Are they all so sassy?" Quinn grumbles, sitting down next to Nate.

Nate chuckles. "I know you're still a bit leery of Codsworth, but I think we did the right thing in getting him."

Quinn sighs. "You're probably right… It's just strange, you know? He's not human."

The sound of Shaun crying interrupts whatever Nate might have said and Quinn is halfway out of her seat without realizing it.

"Sounds like someone is getting fussy!" Codsworth declares, moving for Shaun's nursery. "Don't worry, mum, I will see what the problem is. Please sit and enjoy your breakfast."

Quinn sits back down, feeling relieved, but also guilty. It's not that she doesn't love her son. She just hasn't gotten a full night of sleep in a very long time and it's nice having someone else to change Shaun's dirty diapers.

_Maybe Nate is right. Wait… does that make me a bad mother?_

Quinn chews on her lip anxiously.

Nate's hand covers hers and gives a reassuring squeeze. "Stop worrying and eat something. You know how you get on an empty stomach." He gives her a look and she concedes, starting to pour herself some cereal.

She's about halfway through the bowl when Codsworth floats back into the room, somehow managing to look distressed.

_How in the world does he do that? He has no face!_

"Mum, I'm very sorry, but I can't seem to calm young Shaun down. It seems he needs some of that motherly affection you are so very good at giving."

Quinn sighs internally, giving her cereal one last longing glance, before pushing back from the table and heading for her child's room.

His crying makes her chest ache and she hurries over to his crib, reaching inside and tickling his tummy. "Hey there, little guy," she greets him softly. "What seems to be the problem, hmm?" Quinn softly strokes one of his chubby cheeks and smiles down at him.

Shaun's crying gradually quiets. "There, see? You're okay."

"How did I ever get so lucky?" Nate's voice surprises her a bit and she knocks her head on the mobile when she straightens abruptly. Nate just smiles and shakes his head. "Such a klutz," he teases, coming to stand next to her and put his arm around her.

For a while, they both just watch the little person they created, happy and carefree.

Then comes Codsworth's panicked voice from the living room. "Sir, mum! I think you should come see this!"

Quinn and Nate glance at each other, then Quinn hurries out of the room.

Codsworth is hovering anxiously in front of the T.V., on which the newsman seems to be announcing something distressing. Nate is soon beside her, holding Shaun tightly.

_He grabbed Shaun… Why didn't I do that…?_

"Yes… yes." Quinn turns back to the T.V. "We've got confirmed reports coming in of nuclear detonations in New York…"

Quinn feels numb and the rest of the report turns to static in her ears. She clutches at Nate's shirt, trying to ground herself. "W-what…? Nate…"

"Come on, hon, we need to head for the vault. Now." Nate sounds more serious than she's ever heard him. _This is his soldier voice_ , she thinks.

Quinn starts for the hallway in a daze. "I-I need to grab the-"

"Quinncy," Nate barks, grabbing her arm. " _Now._ "

And then they're running, as fast as they can, but Nate doesn't let go of her. Twice, she trips, but Nate doesn't let her fall.

At the fence, he pauses to talk to someone and Quinn sees a man in a yellow hat. It's the Vault-Tec guy that came to their house the other day and he looks terrified.

_What's going on? Why won't they let him through?_

The man suddenly makes eye contact with her. It feels profound for some reason, but Nate is pulling her through the gate and towards the vault. Then they're standing on top of it and he's pushing Shaun into her arms. Shaun is wailing.

"Take him, Quinncy!"

Quinn grabs her baby and holds on tight.

There's an explosion in the distance, then, so loud and bright that it hurts. People are screaming and Quinn thinks she might be among them. Nate wraps his arms around them and pushes them down. He does his best to be a shield when a concussive wave of heat and dust slams into them, but Quinn still feels it in her bones.

_I'm gonna die…_

But a few seconds later, when the elevator stops moving, she's very much still alive. Even so, Quinn doesn't open her eyes until Nate nudges her.

"Come on, sweetheart," he encourages softly, urging her to follow the line of people up the stairs.

_Our neighbors._

Quinn suddenly wonders what's happening to the people above and can't help the tears that well up in her eyes.

"We're okay, Quinn," Nate keeps talking in a soothing voice. "Shaun's okay."

 _But what about everyone else?_ she can't help but wonder silently.

There are a lot of people in blue suits inside. They wait in line and Nate grabs two of the suits, then guides her over to a secluded corner. He holds Shaun while she changes, then she returns the favor.

A man in a lab coat leads them into a room with a bunch of pods. Quinn isn't really sure what she expected, but it certainly wasn't this. Something feels… off, but her thoughts are too jumbled right now to make sense of anything.

Nate pulls her into his arms, giving both her and Shaun a gentle hug. Then he kisses her forehead tenderly and steps back.

"What's happening, Nate?" Quinn almost doesn't recognize her voice. It's so… small.

"Just decontamination," he explains. "Makes sense, I suppose. Just step into that one there, okay?"

"I can keep Shaun with me?" she asks, heartrate picking up.

"Of course," Nate reassures. "Here, I'll help you in." He takes her elbow and balances her while she climbs into the pod. "All right, hon, I'll see you soon."

Quinn just nods and holds Shaun tighter, watching as Nate gets into the opposite pod. He gives her a small nod and a smile as the doors close. Quinn feels a moment of panic as the pod seals, locking her in the cramped space. Her breathing speeds up to match her heart and she stares through the little window at Nate, trying to keep it together.

An automated voice drones in her ear and she doesn't bother listening. A part of Quinn's brain notes that it's getting colder, and then… nothing.

* * *

_So… cold…_

Quinn's thoughts are sluggish, oozing like molasses in the dead of winter. Her eyes open slowly. Everything is blurry at first, but she thinks she hears voices.

_Nate…?_

As her vision clears, she notices that the little window in front of her is frosted with ice. Even so, she can see out of it somewhat, enough to tell that there are people. Two of them.

Quinn tries to say something, to get their attention, but all that comes out is a pathetic wheeze.

Then the door opens. Quinn is very confused. Where are the Vault-Tec people from before? The doctor that showed them to their pods?

"Here they are," says the balding man in strange clothing.

Quinn's limbs feel so numb, she almost doesn't realize there's a person in a white cleanroom suit trying to grab her baby.

"Hey!" Quinn croaks, trying to twist away from the person.

"It's okay, ma'am," the woman says, reaching for Shaun again. "Just give me the child."

"No!" Quinn cries, holding her child tighter. Shaun begins to cry.

Something clicks. "I suggest you let go of the kid, lady," a gruff voice commands and Quinn looks back at the man. It takes her a second to realize he's pointing a gun at her.

_What the hell is going on?!_

The woman gets her hands on Shaun and tugs. Quinn struggles with her. "No! He's mine!" she cries. The man grabs her arms and pries them apart, letting the woman pull Shaun away. It's almost embarrassing how easily the man overpowers her.

" _No!_ " Quinn screams hoarsely, voice cracking. She struggles harder, thrashing against the man holding her back as the woman walks off with Shaun. She cries out again, wordlessly this time. Quinn feels something hard collide with the side of her head and everything goes dark again.

* * *

When Quinn wakes again, she's gasping for air. Everything still feels cold, though. Quinn pounds against the window, feeling as if she'll lose consciousness again at any moment. But then the door opens and she falls out, catching herself at the last moment and feeling a jolt of pain travel up from her wrists.

Quinn stays like that for a bit, gulping in mouthfuls of air and shivering uncontrollably. Slowly, the alarms and repeated warnings shove their way into her awareness.

_Evacuate? What?_

Quinn shakily pushes herself up and looks around. The first thing she notices is the pod directly in front of her.

_Nate…?_

"Nate!" she cries, stumbling forward and looking through the window. He's not moving. Quinn pounds against the glass. "Nate! Wake up! Please!" But her shouting is to no avail, so she tries tugging at the door. No use…

She glances around frantically, then notices some buttons on a panel next to the pod. She presses the one that says 'open' and watches anxiously as the door hisses and swings upward. She ducks beneath it and reaches for her husband.

He's so cold… too cold. Quinn shakes him, calls out his name, but his eyes remain closed. She finally feels for a pulse…

There isn't one.

Quinn sinks to the floor at Nate's feet, sobbing. She feels as if she's being torn in two. Or maybe a thousand. Surely there's nothing left but scraps… not if Nate is gone.

_Gone._

The word echoes painfully in her head, ripping through memories as it bounces off of her skull.

"No…" she moans, grabbing at her hair and curling into a ball.

Time passes. Quinn isn't sure how much, but slowly she comes back to herself.

 _Shaun_ , she reminds herself. _I have to find Shaun._

With new determination, she pulls herself up and turns back to her husband.

"We have to get out of here," she mutters and wraps her arms around Nate, trying to pull him out of the pod. She doesn't get very far, quickly realizing she's not strong enough to carry him.

_I can't leave him here!_

She knows she has no choice, though, and carefully tucks him back into the pod. Eyes blurring with tears once again, she wiggles the ring off of Nate's finger and tucks it in a secure pocket of her jumpsuit. Then she steps over to the panel and presses the button to close the door.

Quinn allows herself one moment to press her forehead to Nate's pod and gather her wits before turning for the exit.

There are a lot of pods between her and the door and she briefly glances into each. She should probably feel something when she realizes they're all dead, but after Nate…

Quinn checks the other room, too, just to be sure. It's only a confirmation of what she knows already…

_I'm the only one._

As she makes her way out of the vault, she can only hope she's not the only one left alive, period. That desperation only grows when she has to smash a giant cockroach with a baton, because if she has to deal with stuff like that alone, she knows she's not going to survive.

But as she nears the vault door, the only thing she finds are skeletons and more roaches. Quinn has never been so terrified in her life and a few times, she has to sit down and put her head between her knees.

When she has to access the Overseer's terminal to open a door, she finds other files and dated entries. Her curiosity gets the better of her and she reads some of them… then sits back in the chair and laughs, albeit hysterically.

It's just too much. Vault-Tec was supposed to help them! But instead they shoved them into pods and kept them on ice while they fought amongst themselves.

With a weary sigh, Quinn stands and keeps moving. More skeletons, more bugs, and then she's at the door. She has no idea how to open it. Pressing the big red button doesn't work, but she keeps trying, desperate to get out of this hole of lies and despair. Just as she's about to give up, Quinn notices something next to the skeleton at her feet.

Carefully, trying not to touch the arm bones, Quinn picks up the device and examines it. It looks like it goes on a person's wrist, if the skeleton is any indication. She shrugs, thinking _what the hell_ , straps it on and flicks the switch.

The thing starts booting up and Quinn takes the time to clean some of the grime off. The screen it shows after loading has Vault Boy on it, looking disgustingly cheery. It also shows her vitals.

 _That's… handy_ , she supposes.

Quinn examines the… Pip-Boy some more and notices a plug on the underside. She pulls it out and finds it matches an outlet on the console.

_Ah!_

After plugging it in, the screen says the door is ready, so she tries pressing the red button one more time.

A groaning sound from her left has her sighing with relief.

Quinn waits a bit impatiently for the door to open and the walkway to extend, then she's power walking across and racing for the elevator. This, too, seems to take a long time.

Something above her opens and light spills in, bright and blinding. Quinn squeezes her eyes shut, moaning in pain. The elevator comes to a halt and she hesitantly opens one eye, just a slit. What she sees has both eyes flying open, which she regrets. The light is still too much, so she squints and holds a hand up to the sun.

Quinn shuffles forward, feeling nothing but horror at what lies before her.

"God help me," she whispers and sinks to her knees.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you read Traveler, let me know what you think of my third person writing style versus my first person. Not so good? Equal? Better?
> 
> You're probably also like "Wow, this chick has a thing for names that end with 'nn!'" Yes, yes I do.


	2. Long Time Gone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have to say, it's quite difficult writing from the perspective of a character that looks down on robots. I mean, that won't always be the case with Quinn, but we've got a ways to go. I would've had this chapter out earlier, but I was stuck on part of it. Hopefully the length makes up for the wait.
> 
> Disclaimer: Bethesda owns everything but Quinn.

Quinn wishes she was in a daze on her walk down the hill… wishes things weren't so clear and vibrant. Then maybe she could ignore the bones beneath her feet that crunch with each step. She can't help but wonder if these are the remnants of her neighbors. But they're half-buried in the dirt… and so brittle.

_Dear God, how long has it been?_

Quinn crosses the rickety bridge and pauses to take in the ruined remains of her former neighborhood. Images of what it used to be flash behind her eyes, overlaying the desolation. A large log lays in her path and she clambers over it, remembering a time when it was upright. A dog chased Mrs. Johnson's cat up the tree and Nate – _sweet Nate_ – volunteered to climb it to retrieve the furball.

Quinn halts that line of thought in its tracks.

She keeps walking, gaze wandering. No house was spared, it seems, though some fared better than others. She wonders what hers looks like...

Quinn is two houses away from her own when something metallic, glinting in the sun, moves around the corner of the carport. She freezes, heart hammering, until she realizes what it is.

"C-Codsworth?" she tries to call, but it comes out as more of a whisper. The Mr. Handy continues to trim half-dead bushes. "Codsworth!" she tries again, and succeeds.

The robot halts, then swivels its eyestalks towards her. There's a pause before…

"Miss Quinn!"

Quinn's feet carry her closer without conscious thought.

"I-is that really you, mum?" Codsworth asks, sounding emotional.

"It's me," she replies quietly, not quite believing any of this herself.

"As I live and breathe!" Codsworth exclaims, arms whirling. "It's really you! Oh mum, you've no idea how happy I am to see you!"

"I'm happy to see you, too," Quinn admits, surprising herself at the truth behind the statement. She was never very fond of Codsworth. It _is_ a robot, after all, but it's just so good to see a familiar face… eye stalk… whatever.

"Pardon me, mum, but where are Nate and young Shaun?" the robot asks, seeming to glance behind Quinn.

Whatever hint of a smile may have been on her face disappears at that. "Nate… Nate is…" _dead_ , "gone. And somebody… somebody took my baby, Codsworth!" Quinn feels her eyes sting again and blinks away the tears.

The robot looks distressed, somehow. "Mum… these things you're saying… Well, they make no sense! Perhaps some water might help." Codsworth's arms spin and he presents her with a can. She recognizes it as the type of purified water Nate used to store away in case of emergency.

Quinn didn't think she was thirsty before, but at the suggestion of water, her throat turns drier than the Sahara desert. She grabs the can, cracks it open, and starts chugging. Some of the water dribbles down her chin but she can't bring herself to care, draining the can.

"Listen, Codsworth," Quinn insists, wiping her mouth on her sleeve. "Have you seen a guy and a woman in a cleanroom suit pass through here?"

The Mr. Handy seems to think for a moment. "No, mum, I'm afraid not. I'm sure your family will turn up soon, though!"

_Is it not listening to a word I say?!_

Quinn is suddenly so angry she could punch something. "Nate is _dead_ , Codsworth!" she yells, fists clench, eyes watery. "And Shaun was kidnapped! I need to find him!"

"Miss Quinn, I'm afraid you're suffering from hunger-induced paranoia. Let me make you some food. After two hundred years, you must be famished!"

Quinn's legs feel like they're about to give out and everything spins for one dizzying second. "T-two… two… no, no, no…" She clasps her hands over her mouth and shakes her head. "That can't be right… You're malfunctioning!" she snaps.

"I am running at ninety-percent efficiency, mum," Codsworth retorts, sounding offended.

"Two hundred years…" Quinn breathes, leaning against the side of the house for support. She finds herself sliding to the ground anyway. This… this is just too much. She can't help but cry, though her eyes are already raw from before.

"Mum…?" Codsworth hovers anxiously. When she doesn't answer, he seems to droop. "They're really gone, aren't they? Oh, Miss Quinn, I am so very sorry…

Quinn just lays her head on her folded arms and sobs. Eventually, there's nothing left to shed and she stands on shaky legs.

"Come inside, mum. I'll make you something," Codsworth urges gently, herding her through the door of her old home.

The inside doesn't look much better than the outside. Some of the furniture remains, to her surprise, but it looks mildew-y and ready to crumble. Codsworth moves past her into the kitchen and her numb legs take her down the hallway, a sick sort of curiosity urging her forward.

There isn't much to see in her old room, so she turns right instead and halts in the doorway to Shaun's. The crib is still there, though the blue paint is faded and flaking and the mobile is bent beyond repair. Shaun's toys are broken and strewn across the floor. One crunches underfoot as she approaches the crib and lays a hand on the rail.

_My baby boy…_

Quinn's eyes sting, but she's all cried out. She grabs the crusty old teddy bear in the crib and sinks into the armchair in the corner, clutching the toy to her chest and staring at what's left of the wall.

She's unaware of time passing, but when Codsworth comes to get her, the sun is setting.

"Miss Quinn, dinner is ready." The robot sounds subdued.

Quinn rises, still holding the bear, and follows Codsworth to the ruined kitchen. There's a bowl of something sitting on the table and, despite everything, her stomach rumbles. She perches on the dilapidated chair and brings the spoon to her mouth. The first thing she registers is that it's hot. The second is that it's not very good.

Quinn grimaces. "What is this, Codsworth?"

"I'm sorry, mum. There's not much to work with in the way of food nowadays," the robot apologizes.

_Oh._

"Right," she mumbles, looking back down at the bowl. "Sorry."

"It's quite all right, mum."

Quinn eats the rest of the food without complaint. Codsworth clears away the dishes once she's done.

"Codsworth, do you know if there are any people nearby?" she asks, rubbing the ear of the teddy bear between her thumb and forefinger.

"There might still be people in Concord," Codsworth suggests. "Last time I visited, they only hit me with sticks a few times."

Quinn wonders why people would hit a robot like Codsworth, but doesn't say anything. "It's worth a try, I suppose," she sighs.

"I suggest waiting 'til morning. All manner of creepy crawlies come out at night. And maybe, after a good night's rest, things will look brighter." Quinn can tell he's trying to cheer her up. It's not really working.

"Where am I supposed to sleep? My mattress is gone."

"I do apologize for that, mum. Some scavengers came through a few years back and ransacked the house." Codsworth sighs mechanically. "Perhaps we might find one in another house."

"Okay." Quinn sets the bear down and heads for the door.

"Mum, wait!" Codsworth zooms over. "Allow me to accompany you. Mutant flies keep nesting in the empty houses."

Quinn freezes. "Mutant flies…?" she breathes, eyes wide. A thought suddenly occurs to her. "Where did I leave my weapons?" Quinn asks aloud, glancing around frantically.

"I set them on the sofa," Codsowth supplies. "You dropped them outside."

Quinn rushes over to the couch and picks up the baton and the pistol. The baton gets strapped to the belt of her jumpsuit but the gun remains in her hands.

She follows Codsworth as they check each house. Twice they encounter the mutant flies, which are even bigger and more disgusting than she was expecting. They shoot some sort of liquid out of their hind ends, too, which is almost more than Quinn can handle. Codsworth takes them out quickly, while Quinn gets off only a few poorly aimed shots. They find a tiny, horribly stained mattress in the fifth house and Codsworth carries it back for her.

Sometime later, as she lays on the gross mattress and stares up at the gross ceiling, Quinn wonders where she went wrong. There must be something she did to deserve this. Why else would God have abandoned her and her family?

Tears leak out of the corners of her eyes and she wipes them away briskly, then rolls onto her side. She curls into a tight ball, shivering slightly, and tries to fall asleep.

Hours later, Quinn falls into a fitful sleep… only to wake soon after due to nightmares.

Quinn wanders into the living room where Codsworth is attempting to dust. Quinn wonders what the point is anymore, but supposes it must just be his programming.

She clears her throat.

"Mum! You're up?" Codsworth asks, confusion coloring his tone.

"Can't sleep," she mumbles. "Could you… could you maybe just… hover in the room until I fall asleep?" Quinn feels weak for asking, but she's so tired.

"Of course," Codsworth says sincerely, following her back into the bathroom where the mattress is.

Quinn curls back up on the mattress and closes her eyes again. "Thank you," she whispers.

"Any time, Miss Quinn," Codsworth says quietly back.

She thinks maybe Codsworth's propulsion system is warming up the room because she isn't shivering as much this time. And having another… presence helps too.

* * *

The trip to Concord is a short one, but Codsworth insisted on coming along. Quinn isn't about to complain.

As they pass the old Red Rocket truck stop, Quinn detects movement out of the corner of her eye and freezes. Then gasps when the source becomes clear.

"It's a dog!" she exclaims, moving cautiously towards the German shepherd. It looks fairly healthy, considering its surroundings. "Hey little one," she coaxes gently, holding out a hand. The dog gives a soft woof and wags its tail, trotting closer and sniffing her hand. Then it gives her fingers a lick and that's that.

"Are you all alone?" she asks and the dog cocks its head. "Wanna come with us?" It woofs again.

So Quinn continues down the road, a dog and a robot butler in tow. She's thankful for the company, though, especially when they encounter giant mosquitos.

"Are all the bugs bigger now?" she wonders aloud with horror.

"Yes," Codsworth responds honestly. "Those that survived, anyway."

Quinn shudders with revulsion at the thought. _Please don't let there be giant spiders!_

The town is eerily quiet. It raises the hairs on Quinn's neck. She checks her gun and keeps it ready in both hands as they walk – or float, in Codsworth's case.

The dog is the first to hear something, hackles raising and a low growl emanating from its throat. Quinn ducks into an alcove and peeks around the corner, heart hammering. She sees a few people milling about, but they don't look quite right. For one, they're wearing a lot of armor. Very spikey armor. There's also just something about their mannerisms that strikes her as off.

"Are those the people you were talking about?" she whispers to Codsworth.

"No, mum. Those are raiders."

"Raiders?" Quinn doesn't like the sound of that.

"Very bad news, mum."

Quinn growls in frustration and moves further into the alcove. "What do we do?"

"They don't seem to have noticed us yet. We might be able to surprise them," Codsworth suggests.

She thinks about it for a moment. "Okay. You try going around and attacking them from the other side. Distract them. I'll take shots at them from here." It's a coward's move, Quinn knows, but she's scared out of her wits right now.

"Excellent plan, Miss Quinn," Codsworth praises and zips around the corner of the building and out of sight. Quinn doesn't feel like it's a very good plan. The dog sticks by her side, as if sensing that she needs the support.

A minute or so later, Codsworth comes into view again at the far end of the street. He charges into battle, saw buzzing as he hacks into the raiders. Quinn pops out and shoots at the ones that are too distracted to shoot back. Her hands are shaking so much that she misses most of the time.

The first time a red beam strikes one of the raiders down, Quinn is so shocked and distracted that she almost doesn't duck back into the alcove in time. A bullet strikes the stone half a second after she moves.

After a minute, Quinn chances another peek, only to see another streak of red drop the person who was shooting at her. Quinn follows its trajectory up to the balcony of the museum. A person in a coat and hat is crouched up there, taking aim at the raiders. She wonders if this is one of the people Codsworth mentioned.

_They can't be that bad if they're helping us, right?_

Even after the last raider falls, Quinn stays in hiding. It isn't until Codsworth comes to check on her that she creeps out into the open.

"Hey, you!" a man's voice calls from the balcony of the museum.

Quinn dives behind a burnt out car.

"I'm not gonna hurt you!" he calls again. "We need your help!"

"Am I supposed to believe that?" she shouts back.

"I helped you take out those raiders, didn't I? And I didn't take a shot at you or your robot."

Okay, she'll give him that… and really, what choice does she have?

Quinn slowly emerges, gun pointed at the man. She moves closer so they don't have to shout so much. "You said you need help…?" She really doesn't want to help, but she needs to talk to him.

"Yeah, raiders are inside the building. They're about to overrun us."

Quinn wonders what about her, exactly, says she's capable of helping. "I'm, uh, not-"

"Grab that laser musket and get in here!" the man interrupts and disappears inside, leaving Quinn with her mouth open, mid-sentence.

"… good at fighting…"

_What am I even doing?_ she thinks as she reaches for the strange gun laying on the pavement.

The next while is a bit of a blur. All Quinn knows is that there are people shooting at her, so she shoots back. Once again, Codsworth does most of the work and Quinn hides. She's running on pure adrenaline now, heart pumping, unaware of anything but the next danger.

It's luck that has Quinn finally stumbling into the room where the man waits. She plasters herself against the inside wall, chest heaving and eyes darting around. The dog trots over to an old woman and plops down next to her.

"Whoa! Hey there," the man says, taking a tentative step towards her. "You okay?"

_Do I look like I'm okay?_ her brain snarks.

"Y-yeah," is her quavering reply.

"Well, glad you're here, stranger." The man tilts his hat, like an old-time gentleman. "Preston Garvey, Commonwealth Minutemen."

"Quinn," she replies softly.

"Nice to meet you, Quinn."

She nods faintly in return.

"Like I said earlier, we need your help. I spotted more raiders headed this way. We need to get out of here, but they need to be dealt with first. Sturges here has an idea for that." He gestures to a man in overalls messing with a computer.

Quinn is really in no state to think rationally or comprehend anything. Everything is fuzzy around the edges, but also so sharp that it hurts. The man in overalls – Quinn didn't catch his name – drones on about his plan. She hears something about power armor, but not much else.

"… There's one downstairs, but it's locked up and none of us are much good with computers. D'you think you could give it a try?"

_You want me to go back out there?!_

Apparently she said that out loud, because both men look at each other then back at her. "We really don't know how to hack a terminal," the other guy – Preston? – says.

_What makes you think I do?_ This thought stays in her head. She also casts a questioning glance at the terminal on the desk. _And what was he doing with that?_

"I-I'll try," Quinn tells them hesitantly and Preston smiles.

"Thank you. Please hurry."

Still in a daze, Quinn turns and walks back out the door. She's fairly sure all of the raiders are dead, but what if…?

She shakes her head vigorously, trying to focus and not panic.

"Miss Quinn…" Codsworth starts, sounding worried as he floats behind her.

"What?"

"All of my sensors indicate that you are on the edge of a panic attack."

Just hearing those words has her breathing harder. She presses her hands over her ears and keeps walking. "Shut up, Codsworth! Not now!"

"Sorry, mum."

Quinn finds the terminal downstairs and taps at one of the keys to turn it on. Then she just stares at it, feeling the panic flash through her mind.

"I have no idea what to do…" she mutters, on the verge of tears.

"Allow me," Codsworth says, moving closer and making contact with something on the back.

A few moments later, the door to her left clicks. Quinn gives it a tug and it swings open. She sighs with relief and walks through. Then tenses again.

"What was I supposed to get?"

"That there, mum," Codsworth points one of his arms at a glowing circle in the generator.

"Oh."

After some tugging and twisting, the core pops free. Quinn isn't sure how safe it is to touch, so she holds it with only her thumb and first finger.

Preston smiles brightly at her when she returns with the thing, and both he and the other guy explain what she's to do next.

_These people are crazy. Why me?_

But she's not given much choice, so she heads for the roof. On her way, the old lady grabs her arm, forcing her to stop.

"Be careful," she insists in a frail voice. "Something angry is on its way." And then she lets go. That's all. Quinn narrows her eyes in confusion.

_Okay…_

The forced pause makes her take in her surroundings though, and she immediately notices a little statue sitting on the desk nearby. It stands out like a beacon from the past, inordinately bright against the dust and grime. Quinn picks it up gently and the oversized head bobs, as if Vault Boy is greeting her with a nod.

"Do you have somewhere to keep this?" she asks Codsworth. The robot tells her he does and tucks the bobblehead away in a compartment in his shell.

Quinn focuses again on the task at hand. She goes up on the roof, shoves the fusion core into the power armor, twists the wheel, and climbs in.

The armor is surprisingly easy to move in, but it doesn't stop her from feeling claustrophobic. And yet she feels safer than before. It's an odd combination.

Quinn climbs into the aircraft and rips the minigun free. She actually uses too much of the suit's strength and stumbles back a little. She starts examining the gun, trying to figure out how it works, but something dings loudly against the armor. Quinn glances up in time to see a raider duck behind a chimney on the building across the street.

Feeling invincible now, Quinn hefts the minigun onto her hip and fires. The bullets tear into the brick of the chimney, but not the raider. She lays off the trigger and waits. Sure enough, they pop out of hiding and she fires again. The gun is slow, so she only clips his shoulder, but it's enough.

More of them are firing from below so she sweeps the gun back and forth while holding down the trigger. They fall quickly under her wrath and she can feel her mouth stretched in a manic grin. She can see Codsworth and the dog tearing their own path through the raiders below.

Soon, the only ones left are hiding behind stuff further down the street.

"Jump down," Preston calls to her from the balcony. "The power armor can take the impact."

"Are you kidding me?" she mutters, glancing down. Her stomach churns at the distance and the vertigo it causes. But Preston is right. Quinn remembers the stories Nate used to tell her about his time in the military. She remembers one story in particular about a contest with the other men concerning who had fallen the farthest in their power armor without any damage.

Knowing the suit will keep her safe doesn't help as much as it should, but Quinn jumps anyway, screaming the whole way down. Her landing cracks the pavement even more, leaving a small crater.

She makes her way down the street, spraying the remaining raiders with bullets. As she reaches the end, the ground rumbles and the metal plates covering a hole straight ahead fly off. What climbs out has her freezing in terror.

No thoughts cross her mind. There's only fear, raw and animalistic, until continuous shouting breaks through.

"Shoot it, Quinn!" Preston cries. "Shoot it!" A red beam flies past her head and strikes the creature between the eyes. Instead of going down, the monster gives a hellish roar and starts running at her.

The dog zips by her and lunges at the thing, but the creature just knocks it aside and keeps coming. She hears pained whimpers from the pile of fur and it's finally enough to get her moving.

Quinn raises the minigun again and starts unloading into the demon's chest. Unfazed, it bares down on her and grabs her by the shoulders.

Quinn screams as it flings her around and smashes her into the ground. The armor on her arms crunches and something in her chest pops but she can't feel it right now.

The creature roars in her face, splattering saliva on her helmet, and all Quinn can think is that this is the end. She survived two hundred plus years in cryo to die alone in the arms of a demon. A demon that crawled straight up from hell to punish her for letting her husband die and her son be stolen.

Quinn would give up right now if it weren't for her self-preservation. As it is, since flight is off the table, her body chooses to fight. Armor clad hands land on either side of the thing's head and thumbs dig into its eyes until they pop and ooze.

The hellspawn gives a pained roar and releases her, reeling back. On autopilot, Quinn charges the beast, knocking it back and grabbing its open jaws. She pulls them in opposite directions until they crack. Even then, the creature still lives, so Quinn picks up the minigun and brings it down, over and over, until only bloody pulp remains.

Quinn drops the gun but stays kneeling, staring at the carnage with wide eyes. Someone whistles behind her and she whirls around.

"Holy hell," Sturges murmurs as they all creep closer. "I think it's dead." He chuckles.

"You okay?" Preston asks her, rifle still held at the ready.

Suddenly, the suit becomes overwhelming and Quinn feels like she's suffocating. She stands and stumbles away from the mutilated carcass. Panicking, she searches for a way to get the armor to open.

"Open, open, oh God get me out," she pleads raggedly. Preston is the only one paying attention to her, the others examining the body with morbid curiosity, and he hurries over to crank the wheel on the back.

Quinn practically falls out, but Preston stabilizes her, helping her sit against the wall. He kneels next to her.

"Hey, focus on me," he instructs gently. "Breathe with me."

Quinn tries, but her eyes keep darting around. The creatures lies motionless a few feet away, the power armor is covered in blood and gore, there are human bodies strewn everywhere, and the stench of death fills the air.

_I did that._ Her stomach churns. _I killed people… I killed a lot of people._

Quinn proceeds to throw up all over Preston's uniform.

 


End file.
